Choose a contact to collaborate with by entering a name, email address, or searching your address book.

Can edit permissions will be selected automatically in the drop-down. If desired, change to Can view instead.

Add a message (optional).

Click Share.

The “share” navigation pane in Word will display who owns the document, who can edit the document, and who can view the document.

On the receiving end, the person invited to edit your document will receive an email with the subject line, “I shared [name of document] with you in OneDrive.” (A piece of advice: we live in an age of malware, so let your collaborator know the document is coming.)

Co-editing in Word

After you share your document, you can collaborate on that file at the same time with others. Microsoft recommends working together in Word Online to see real-time changes. Colored flags will show you exactly where in the document each person is working.

Chat in Word

When editing together online, select Chatto open a chat window. Type your message and press Enter to send.

Chat history is not saved when you close a document. If the chat conversations are important, use copy and paste to preserve them: click in the Chat box, hit <Ctrl A> to select all, followed by <Ctrl C> to copy. Open a new Word Document, paste the chat history using <Ctrl V>, save, and close.

Using Chat vs. Comments

Microsoft suggests using Chat when you want to communicate with others immediately, for example, to ask a quick question or divide sections among the co-editors.

Use Comments (on the Review tab on the ribbon) when you want to attach a comment to a specific selection within the document, such as when you need to ask if a word or phrase should be changed. Comments are saved with the document and can be replied to, marked as done or deleted.

Whether you practice criminal or civil law, there are good lessons to be gleaned from this presentation:

Service

Adding yourself as a service contact is required: “At the time of preparing the filer’s first eFiling, a filer must enter in the electronic filing system the name and service email address of the filer, designated as a service contact on behalf of the party the filer represents.” UTCR 21.100(2). You must attach your service contact information to every case the first time you eFile into a matter.

Until the other side appears and adds itself as a service contact, you must use conventional methods of service. Reminder: you cannot add the opposing party as a service contact to accomplish eService.

In criminal cases, the defense may be the first side to “appear.” If this is true, use conventional service methods until the district attorney eFiles into the case. In some counties (Deschutes), the district attorney’s office may file a “Notice of Acceptance of eService” at inception. In such cases, eService is permissible.

To accomplish service in the Tyler Odyssey system, change your selection from eFile (the default setting) to eFile & Serve. Avoid multiple methods of service – they are a waste of time.

It is permissible to use a generic Certificate of Service where you check a box indicating the method of service (eService, personal service, etc.)